Automatic record strip controller



March was, c. R. MABON 2,1105% AUTOMATIC RECORD STRIP CONTROLLER Filed July 2, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 INVENTOR. @uuf n BY U M @W.-&6Z ma ATTORNEYS.

March 8, 1938. c. R. MABON ZJMWQS I AUTOMATIC RECORD STRIP CONTROLLER INVEN TOR. 37 M m m,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC RECORD STRIP CONTROLLER Application July 2, 1930, Serial No. 465,343

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in manifolding machines, such as billing or typewriting machines, wherein a plurality of relatively superposed work webs or paper record strips are employed and supported in position upon a writing bed or platen for the reception of inscriptions made by means of a typewriting machine or by other means.

It is a general object of the invention to provide in machines of the class mentioned an improved record strip positioning and smoothing mechanism of simple and practical construction and arrangement whereby a number of superposed record strips of the continuous traveler type may be at all times maintained in correct position upon the Writing platen and in smooth condition thereon without creases, wrinkles, bulges, or like irregularities, thus assuring clear and legible manifold inscription upon all of the superposed strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved record strip or writing paper positioning and aligning mechanism for machines of the class mentioned, which will automatically en- 5' gage the record strips as they move forwardly and align and position them in smooth condition upon the writing platen.

A further object is to provide an improved recrd strip guiding means which will operate effec- 30" tively to guide the record strips into engagement with aperture engaging pins or the like, while avoiding objectionable obstruction to the free feeding movements of the record strips.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for machines of the class mentioned an improved record strip guiding means which is relatively positioned with reference to strip controlling pins, so as to exert a constant restraint and positioning influence upon the strips maintaining them in correct engagement with the pins, irrespective of the relative longitudinal position of the latter.

A further object is to provide for machines of the class mentioned an improved centered actuating member for exerting controlling effort upon the longitudinally oscillatable pin supporting carriage so as to avoid tendency of the latter to bind or jamin its longitudinal backward and forward movements.

Another object is to provide an improved and simplified limiting arrangement for limiting the forward movements of the record strip positioning-and aligning carriage.

Other objects of the invention will be in part pointed out in the following detailed description of an illustrative but preferred embodiment of the invention and will be in part obvious in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Figure 1 is a side View in perspective showing a form of writing machine equipped with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the improved record strip controller.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the controller, the section being taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, similar to Fig. 4 with the operating mechanism in a different position, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the adjusting and. locking mechanism for the controller spring.

For a detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention, reference is made to the drawings illustrating it as being applied to a writing machine of the fiat platen type to which it is well adapted. This machine as shown may include a supporting frame indicated generally at [0, and including spaced pedestals ll adapted to rest upon the floor. The bed of the machine includes spaced supporting rails or frame members l2 ordinarily extending substantially hori- Zontally and attached to and supported by the pedestals ll. Tie rods one of which is indicated at 13, or similar frame members connect the supporting rails and maintain them in correctly spaced relation forming a rigid supporting frame or bed.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, a type-writing machine of known standard construction may be mounted upon the supporting rails [2 being movable therealong so as to bring type bars carried thereby into different line spacing position. with reference to record sheets or strips carried by the supporting bed.

Appropriately located between rails 12 is a fiat platen or record sheet supporting bed l4. This strips is to fold them in zigzag formation to form V a supply pad as S A supporting bracket or frame l may be carried by the frame ID in any preferred manner for supporting this zigzag supply pad.

Each of the record strips S is preferably provided with a longitudinal series of blank forms for receiving the written data, and each is divi-ded into a longitudinal series of record leaves or pad leaves S as by means of transverse lines S preferably perforated or otherwise weakened to facilitate detachment of the record leaves. Each record leaf is also provided with apertures S spaced apart laterally of the strip, thus forming two longitudinal series of apertures. These apertures are definitely positioned upon each record leaf S with reference to the blank forms thereon and with reference to the dividing lines S For the purpose of transferring inscriptions made upon the top or original record sheet or strip, any desired number of transfer strips or leaves, such as the continuous carbon strips C, may be mounted in appropriate position upon the machine and interleaved in manifolding relation with the record strips in a well known manner. These transfer strips are herein disclosed as being supported upon supporting spools It mounted at opposite sides of the machine, and extend transversely thereof over the platen IA. The transfer strips may thus be adjusted to bring new transfer areas into manifolding position by turning one spool it so as to wind the strips thereon, while at the same time unwinding them from the opposite supporting spool. preferred transfer sheet mounting may be substituted as will be readily understood.

A strip clamping or anchoring device, shown diagrammatically at Il, may be provided at the forward part of the machine frame for securing the forward ends of the record strips'in ad justed position. Specifically, this strip clamping arrangement is not a part of this invention except generally in combination, and need not be particularly described herein. It may be of any well known type but preferably embodies strip aligning and securing pins adapted to enter into the apertures S of the record strips thus assisting in maintaining the latter in position. A convenient form for the clamping device I! is disclosed in a prior patent application Serial No. 371,747, filed by W. F. Simonson on June 18, 1929.

An operating mechanism is provided for the clamping device if whereby the latter may be controlled to release the record strips or to hold them in adjusted position. This operating mechanism, as shown, includes a pivoted operating pedal is and a connecting link l9 connected at its lower end to the pedal and at its upper end to an intermediate controlling mechanism (not shown) connected to the clamping device l'l. When the pedal is depressed by the operator, this controlling mechanism releases the clamping device it so as to free the record strips therefrom. When the pedal is released the clamping device Some other is automatically removed into strip engaging or clamping position by means of a spring (not shown), or similar operating mechanism.

Positioned to the rearward of the strip anchoring device I! and at the opposite side of the platen i4, is a second strip restraining or controlling mechanism indicated generally at 20. This controller 20 preferably is in the form of an attachment capable of application in operative position to machines of existing construction with very little labor or effort, and with slight, if any, changes in the machine itself.

The strip controller 28 in the embodiment shown includes a lower frame plate 2! forming a supporting base and having offset flanged lateral edges 22 providing seats or channels for the reception of supporting bars 23. These supporting bars may form a part of the original machine extending longitudinally of and parallel to the side frame members or rails l2 and attached thereto in any desired manner.

Screw clamps 2d are attached to the base plate 2! being arranged to clamp the controller 29 in operative position upon the supporting bars 23. It will therefore be seen that the strip controller 20 can be applied as a unit in operative position to the writing machine, and it may be readily adjusted longitudinally thereon so as to accommodate record strips having differently longitudinally spaced controlling apertures S The supporting bars 23 are preferably disposed between and adjacent the respective side bars l2, and the strip controlling unit 29 when installed lies between these side bars 12 in the path of the advancing record strips S.

Spaced track rails 25 are mounted in longitudinal position upon the strip controller 20 being mounted above the base plate 2| upon supporting blocks 25 carried by the latter. These track rails are disclosed in the form of flat horizontal bars spaced from and substantially parallel with the supporting rails I2, and they support acarriage 27 for longitudinal reciprocation upon the machine. The top plate 28 of the carriage is provided on its underside with horizontally disposed groove-d rollers 29 the grooves of which engage the edges of the track rails. The carriage 2'! is thus restrained for longitudinal reciprocation adjacent to and substantially parallel to the path of strip movement.

A controller spring 39 is connected to the carriage 27 tending to urge the latter into its rearward position. This spring, as shown, is preferably in the form of an elongated spiral spring anchored at one end to an adjusting device 3|, and passing intermediate its ends over a grooved idler roller 32 and connected at its opposite end as at 33 to the carriage. The spring is normally tensioned to urge the carriage 27 into its extreme rearward position with the plate 28 against the resilient bumpers or shock absorbers 34. The connection 33 is preferably positioned substantially at the transverse center of the carriage and the adjusting device 3! is also positioned substantially at the transverse center of. the machine, as is the idler roll 32.

It will therefore be seen that the carriage actuating member or controller spring 30, and particularly the reach thereof extending between the carriage and the idle roller, lies in a centrally disposed vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of oscillation of the carriage.

Thus, the carriage actuating device 30 together with its arrangements and connections as described is simple and inexpensive, and moreover equalizes the pulling effort upon the carriage in such a manner as to avoid tendency to urge it out of alignment with consequent binding or other undue frictional resistance.

It should be observed that the front of the controlling unit, that is, the edge thereof facing toward the strip anchoring device I1, is at the right in Figs. 4 and 5 and at the bottom in Fig. 2, the direction of feed of the record strips being indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5.

For adjusting the tension of. the controller spring 38 an adjusting device is provided. This adjusting device may vary specifically the form. disclosed, being simple and convenient. It embodies the rotary bar or roller 35 which is in the form of a sleeve supported between the brackets 35 by a centrally disposed pin 31. The actuating member or spring 33 is anchored to the sleeve 35 by means of a pin 38. The rotary adjusting bar of sleeve 35 is received in circular openings in the brackets 36 which thus provide bearings in which the bar rotates.

The supporting pin 31 has an exterior head 39 against which the adjacent end of the sleeve contacts in frictional relation therewith. The head 39 is notched as shown in Fig. 4 for receiving a stop lug ill on the bracket 36, thus preventing rotation of the pin.

At its opposite end, the supporting pin 3] is threaded to receive a nut shown as a wing nut engaging at its inner end with a knurled head ll rigidly carried by the rotary adjusting sleeve 35. The knurled head 4| provides a handle for manually turning the sleeve 35 when the nut is loosened. When the desired tension of the controller spring is attained, the wing nut is tightened, thus forcing the end of the sleeve 35 into frictional engagement with the inner face of the head 39, and locking the spring anchor in adjusted position.

Strip engaging pins 42 are movably mounted upon the carriage 2'! being adapted to enter the apertures S in the record strips. Two such pins arranged in a pair may be conveniently utilized, being mounted upon a support or carrier 33 positioned on the under face of the top plate 28. The pins extend upwardly from the carrier through appropriate openings or passageways in the plate 28, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

This pin carrier 43 is preferably pivoted as at M to a bracket mounted on the under face of the top plate 28. The pivotal point 44 is preferably positioned rearwardly of the pins with reference to strip advancement in order that the pins may move forward slightly with reference to the record strips as the carrier 43 is swung downward upon its pivot. This movement furnishes a freeing action, relieving the pressure of the pins against the walls of the strip apertures whereby the pins are withdrawn from aperture engagement without undue frictional resistance or sticking, also avoiding tearing or marring the paper in the vicinity of the apertures. A tensioned spring 45 normally urges the pin carrier :33 into its upwardposition with the pins projecting through the plate 28.

Operating mechanism for the pin carrier' lt includes a retractable latch or operating member 46 supported for longitudinal retraction in a bracket on the carrier 43 and urged into its projected position by means of' a light compression spiral spring 41. The retractable oper ating member 56 is provided on its under face near the free end thereof with an inclined surface, the top side however being fiat.

Another or companion operating member 48 is also mounted upon the unit 2E being in the form of a spring pressed plunger urged into its uppermost position by means of compression springs 49. This operating plunger has a laterally disposed operating lug 50 with an inclined upper surface and a lower flat surface positioned for cooperation with the operating member 4% when the carriage Z'l is moved forwardly into a predetermined strip controlling position. An operating link 5! with longitudinal adjustment 52 is connected at its upper end to an operating rod attached to the operating plunger while at its lower end it is connected to the operating pedal !8.

At opposite sides of the operating plunger 48 are stop lugs or pins 54 disposed to engage with a depending limiting bracket 55 mounted upon the carriage 2?. This limiting bracket has a bifurcated downward extension positioned to engage with the stop lugs 54 to limit the forward movement of the carriage. The limiting bracket 55 extends downwardly a sufficient distance to engage with the stop lugs 5:3 in different positions of the latter occasioned by the up and down movements of the operating plunger 33. The limiting bracket is bifurcated so as to permit entry of the operating plunger between the oppositely disposed parts thereof as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In Fig. 5, the limiting bracket is in cooperative position with the stop lugs 5 and the pin operating lug 5G is in position for cooperation with the retractable operating member it. This limiting bracket together with the stop lugs 54 provides a convenient means for correctly positioning the pin operating lugs 46 and 5t for operative engagement with each other.

Strip guiding and positioning mechanism including pliable strip engaging members 55, is carried by the controlling member 26. There may be as many of these pliable strip guiding members as desired, twobeing shown positioned respectively adjacent the strip controlling pins They are shown as extending longitudinally in the direction of movement of the record strips, lying substantially in the path of the latter so as to engage with the face of the upper strip in the vicinity of the controlling pins 32. They preferably lie parallel to the path of the record strips.

These pliable strip guides 56 are shown as being in the form of tensioned spiral springs which are found to be convenient for this purpose, exerting a yielding pressure laterally on the upper face of the record strip and pressing the strips yieldingly yet effectively into correct position for cooperation with the pins 52. Entry of the pins into the strip controlling apertures is thus assured, and failure of the aligning function avoided.

A convenient support for the pliable strip guides may be provided by a supporting frame El shown as being of rectangular form and pivoted at one end as indicated at 58 and supported upon appropriate brackets carried by the controller or attachment 26. The strip guides 56 are suspended at their opposite ends to the members of this supporting frame.

Opposite to the pivotal supports 58 of the supporting frame 5?, brackets 59 may be provided notched to receive the adjacent members of the frame and provided with spring catches 8t engaging with the frame so as to retain it in its operative position.

Thus it will be seen that the entire supporting frame carrying pliable strip guides may be swung upwardly away from the path of the record strips, facilitating threading of the latter into position in the machine or adjusting them after they have been placed in position. When the frame is again swung downwardly, the pliable guides 56 are brought into correct position for cooperation with the strips in the performance of their guiding function with the latter.

The objects and nature of the invention having been set forth, and an illustrative embodiment thereof disclosed in detail, the operation as embodied in the foregoing description will be understood by those skilled in the art. For clearness and emphasis the operation may be summarized as follows:

As the superposed record strips S are pulled forward collectively over the writing platen l4, they slide over the top of the controlling pins 52 being urged into yielding engagement therewith at all times by the pressure of the pliable strip guiding members 56, these pliable guiding members functioning to maintain at all times the strips in their correct relation with reference to each other and with reference to the pins 42. When the controlling apertures S come into alignment with the pins, the latter are caused to enter the apertures in all of the superposed record strips.

Continued advancement of the strips with the pins in engagement with the apertures thereof will cause the carriage El to move forwardly (at the right in Figs. 4 and 5) against the tension of the carriage controlling spring 38 increasing the tension in the latter. This forward movement of the carriage will be limited by engage ment of the limiting bracket 55 with the lugs 55', as described. In this limited position as shown in Fig. 5, the pin operating members 35 and 50 will be positioned for cooperative engagement with each other; prior to this time, as seen in Fig. they were not positioned for cooperative engagement.

During the adjusting movement of the strips just described, the pedal i8 is assumed to be in its depressed position releasing the clamping device l! at the forward part of the machine and lowering the operating plunger However, the plunger 48 is not, depressed to a sufficient extent to move the lugs 5t beyond the position for contact with the limiting bracket 55. Al though the pedal is depressed, as assumed, yet the pins :32 are not retracted because operating lug Eil is not at this time positioned for engagement with the operating member .5.

When the strips have been thus pulled forwardly, the controlling mechanism assumes the position shown in Fig. 5. In this position the carriage 27 is yieldingly urged in rearward direction by the carriage controlling spring 35 yieldingly holding the pins 42 in engagement with the aperture walls, thus aligning the record strips and maintaining them in aligned condition, and at the same time, tensioning and smoothing the reaches of the strips positioned over the writing platen and preventing such bulges, wrinkles or other irregularities as might interfere with the correct manifold inscription. In this manner the proper transfer of all of the inscriptions to the underlying record strips is assured.

The controller spring 30 and the centered arrangement thereof and connection to the carriage equalize this strip tensioning function between both of the pins 12, thus further assuring the correct positioning of the record strips, as well as avoiding binding tendency obstructing movements of the carriage 2?.

After the inscriptions have been completed, the pedal l8 may be depressed, thus releasing the holding means ll and at the same time depressing the strip control pins 32 through the action of the operating plunger 38 and the cooperating actuating lugs 48 and 5%]. As the plunger is depressed, the pins are retracted from aperture engaging position. During this retraction the pins swing or rock forwardly upon the pivot 24, thus moving forward slightly with reference to the strip apertures, disengaging the latter with a forward freeing action with the attendant advantages mentioned.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown inthe accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a record strip controlling carriage, means for mounting said carriage for oscillation longitudinally of the strip path, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, a support pivoted to the machine for swinging movement adjacent said carriage and strip guiding tensioned spiral springs carried by said support and positioned respectively adjacent said pins so as to guide the strips relatively thereto.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a record strip controlling carriage, means for mounting said carriage for oscillation longitudinally of the strip path, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, a support pivoted to the machine for swinging movement adjacent said carriage, and having transverse supporting bars positioned forwardly and rearwardly of said carriage, and strip guiding tensioned spiral springs carried by said support and positioned respectively adjacent said pins so as to guide the strips relatively thereto, said spiral springs being suspended between said supporting bars and extending longitudinally of the path of strip feed.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a record strip controlling carriage, means for mounting said carriage for oscillation longitudinally of the strip path, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, a support having transverse supporting bars positioned forwardly and rearwardly of said carriage, and pliable strip guiding members carried by said bars and extending longitudinally of the path of strip feed.

4. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, means for mounting said carriage for reciprocating movement longitudinally of the path of the record strips, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an elongated resilient carriage actuating member yieldingly urging said carriage to exert tension upon the strip, said actuating member being attached to said carriage substantially at the transverse centre thereof and being anchored to the machine substantially at its transverse centre so as to lie in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of oscillation of said carriage. V

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, means for mounting said carriage for bodily reciprocating movement longitudinally oi the path of the record strip, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an elongated resilient carriage actuating member yieldingly urging said carriage to exert tension upon the strip, said actuating member being attached to said carriage substantially at the transverse centre thereof and being anchored to the machine substantially at its transverse centre so as to lie in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of oscillation of saidcarriage,atake-updevice for said resilient actuating member for varying tension of the latter, and a friction locking device for locking said take-up device in adjusted position.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, means for mounting said carriage for bodily reciprocating movement longitudinally of the path of the record strip, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an elongated carriage actuating spiral spring yieldingly urging said carriage to exert tension on the strips, said spring being attached to said carriage substantially at the transverse centre thereof and anchored to the machine substantially at its transverse centre so as to lie in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of the carriage oscillation, a rotary guide member about which said spring is looped, a rotary take-up device to which the backwardly looped part of said spring is connected, and friction locking means for said take-up device.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an operating member for said pins positioned on said carriage, a stop bracket on said carriage adjacent said operating member, a second operating member mounted on said machine separate from said carriage and positioned for cooperation with said first operating member when said carriage is in a predetermined strip controlling position whereby a movement of said second operating member moves said pins into strip disengaging position, and a stop lug on said second operating member cooperating with said stop bracket to limit forward movement of said carriage when said first and second operating members are in cooperative relation with each other.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an operating member for said pins positioned on said carriage, a stop bracket on said carriage adjacent said operating member, a second operating member mounted on said machine separate from said carriage and positioned for cooperation with said first operating member when said carriage is in a predetermined strip controlling position whereby a movement of said second operating 'member moves said pins into strip disengaging position, said stop bracket having spaced depending contacts between which said second operating member enters, and a stop lug at either side of said second operating member cooperating respectively with said contacts to limit forward movement of said carriage.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, strip; positioning pins oscillatable longitudinally of the record strip and a laterally pliable resilient strip guide adjacent each of said pins and longitudinally of which said pins are oscillatable, a longitudinally oscillatable carriage supporting said pins, an elongated resilient tensioned carriage actuating member yieldingly urging said carriage to exert tension upon the said record strips, said actuating member being attached to said carriage substantially at the transverse centre thereof and anchored to the machine substantially at its transverse centre so 'as to lie in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of carriage oscillation.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a carriage, strip aperture engaging pins movably mounted on said carriage so as to assume aperture engaging or aperture disengaging position, an operating member for said pins positioned on said carriage, a stop bracket on said carriage adjacent said operating member, a second operating member mounted on said machine separate from said carriage and positioned for cooperation with said first operating member when said carriage is in a predetermined strip controlling position whereby a movement of said second operating member moves said pins into strip disengaging position, a stop lug on said second operating member cooperating with said stop bracket to limit forward movement of said carriage when said first and second operating members are in cooperative relation with each other, an elongated resilient carriage actuating member yieldingly urging said carriage to exert tension upon the strip, said actuating member being attached to said carriage substantially at the transverse centre thereof and being anchored to machine substantially at the transverse centre so as to lie in a vertical plane substantially parallel to the path of oscillation of said carriage.

11. In a manifolding machine, in combination, record strip restraining means, and an elongated pliable strip guiding tensioned coil spring positioned in proximity to said restraining means to guide the strip thereto and lying substantially parallel to the path of the record strip.

12. In a manifolding machine, in combination, a strip controlling pin positioned for engagement in apertures of a continuous traveler record strip, a strip guiding tensioned coil spring positioned adjacent to said pin, and a support for said spring to which spaced parts of the spring are connected, said support being pivoted to one side of the machine whereby the spring may be transferred away from the strip path.

13. In a machine of the character described, in combination, record strip restraining means, a pliable strip guide positioned in proximity to said restraining means, a supporting frame to which spaced parts of said pliable strip guide are attached, and a mounting device mounting said supporting frame and strip guide for movement laterally of the machine away from the record strip path.

14. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a plurality of record strip congated pliable strip guide positioned in proximity to each of said pins and substantially parallel to the path of strip movement to urge the strip apertures and pins into engagement with each other, and a swinging supporting frame for said pliable guides swingable to move said guides into and away from the strip path and having forward and rearward supports from which spaced parts of said pliable guides are respectively supported.

CARL ROBERT MABON. 

